ITs wrong .. Its Britishers, who marginalised and suppressed almost all castes.

Before them, the uppder caste Brahmins, led a pious and simple life, with hardest ever disciplines to follow.
The kshatriyas had all the power.

It was after Britishers, eliminated kshatriya clan, (where a present Iraq like situation was created), and preferred brahmins for most of the bureaucratic jobs, thus, isolating them from the society they were serving before.

Most of our present day sufferings should be attributed to none else but the britishers..
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Archana.. I am registering my alternate views to your opinion on caste system in your post. I respect your right to have your own opinion.

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In one way, inspite of all shortcomings, our polity is more democratic than the US.
In US, the democracy is totalatarian, while the society is very liberal.
In India, the democracy is people oriented.. Even most famous, most powerful Indragandhi was reduced to just 4 seats after emergency.

Secondly, still americans are not ready to have a president who is black and a muslim. Please see this URL.

Doris Lessing, says Obama will be assasinated IF elected

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/obama-would-be-killed-780703.html

The american society is very liberal.. But not their politics..

Janet, i am glad we agree that Obama’s former pastor gig is rhetoric and is clearly a cop out intended to distance himself from the pastor. I don’t buy it as you didn’t as well. I am glad we agree on McCain as well.

Archana,
I don’t think Obama condemned it enough. I am with Ganesh. He is actually rationalizing Wright’s actions not condemning.

The “former pastor” which he uttered 2 or 3 times is a cop out. Obama is a man who claims that he has the right judgement and that experience is not relevant. He uses tha No vote on Iraq war as an example of his fine judgement. I actually bought into that like Ganesh.

But this rev pastor thing is a clear lack of judgement. I don’t know how he can claim that he has fine judgement when he chose to associate himself with Wright for many many years. If he does have fine judgement he would have quit the church long time ago.

Janet – Thanks a lot. I watched the documentary “No end in sight”. It was eye opening. I am planning to write about it.

It is also wise to be weary of McCain’s war mongering tendencies. I am very distraught when I hear any pro-war rhetoric. Cheney, Rumsfeld and others in the Bush administration lied continually for two years to get the American people fearful enough to allow the war. Now the same rhetoric is surfacing about Iran. Cheney railroaded legal permission to ignore the Geneva convention and commit human rights abuses against political prisoners. Americans need to take a deep breath and be reasonable and rational as we seek a solution to the problems that the Bush administration has created. McCain’s proposition isn’t reasonable or rational.

I think that Hillary is the only candidate that has a deep enough understand and the experience to hit the ground running, but I don’t like some of her amoral views.

Front Line is doing a documentary on “Bush’s War” that is airing last night and tonight. The Federal Reserve is doing a massive Wall Street bailout with tax payer’s money. The economy and the war will continue to shape American opinion. There is a long time before we vote. I do hope that you will continue your dialog. It is helpful to have an outside view on America’s doings.

Obama’s speech is definitely a classy one. But it is also a carefully crafted one. As a person standing for President of US, Obama has to strike a balance not to offend any constituency. He might have crafted words carefully that smoothed all tensions and stroked everyone. I would say as a politician he passed the test.

But as a member of that church and a close associate of Rev. Wright, I have serious questions about his influence. They are quite radical.

If Obama is going to stand for Prez, I am not sure how mid-west America and Latinos vote. They may all vote for McCain rather than Obama.

I too have been thinking of Obama’s lack of experience and these are some of the counter arguements I have heard and thought of.

I agree with you that the pastor’s comments were incendiary, however I do feel Obama condemned it strongly enough. I think we will have to agree to disagree there.